Boost for flying frog prof

A BOFFIN who made frogs fly and created a super-sticky tape has been given a £5m boost. Manchester University's Andre Geim is one of the world's leading physicists and is the creator of the world's thinnest substance, graphene.

A BOFFIN who made frogs fly and created a super-sticky tape has been given a £5m boost.

Manchester University's Andre Geim is one of the world's leading physicists and is the creator of the world's thinnest substance, graphene.

The inventor has been given a multi-million grant to study the atom-thick substance which he believes has a massive range of applications.

The German-born professor's previous experiments have seen him levitate a frog in a magnetised cylinder and create a super-sticky "Gecko tape", capable of adhering to any surface.

The good-humoured researcher, who used the frogs to test theories about magnetic levitation while working at a Dutch university, later co-authored a scientific paper with his pet hamster Tisha, which also took part in the levitation experiments.

But despite his light-hearted approach, Prof Geim's creation of graphene has been hailed as a massive discovery with the potential to revolutionise electronics in the same way silicon did.

Prof Geim discovered the substance four years ago and has received numerous scientific prizes and accolades.

The ultra-thin material can conduct electricity in a unique way and could be used to make super-powerful computer chips. But its inventor also believes it can also be applied chemistry and engineering, creating sensors able to detect a single molecule of toxic gas.

The scientist has been given a multi-million pound grant from a government body to set up a new centre to study the material in partnership with Lancaster University.

Prof Simon Gaskell, who is head of research at Manchester, hailed the cash injection. He said: "This award will result in a long-lasting impact by creating a globally-recognized centre of excellence focused on graphene research."